A Teardrop of Treasure
by sunglitters
Summary: Wendy has grown up and wants to forget about Never Land but after strange happenings, she is sent back into the magical world between the war of Peter Pan and Captain Hook but this time, is it really Peter she loves? And what is Hook's secret? H/W.
1. London's Fine Rain

_A Teardrop of Treasure_

_Chapter 1  
London's Fine Rain_

_**AToT**_

It was 1909, a few months had past leaving Edwardian London and its industrial glory drawing close to springtime. The air was sheeted with mist and rain that stuck to ladies shawls and men's waistcoats, the large tower clock struck 6:00PM and the street workers hurried to light oil lamp posts as the night drifted in. Wendy Darling grinned to herself, raising her dress towards her calves and over her ankle boots despite that the hem of the dress was already soaked and moody from the rain water. The eighteen-year old was not unlike any other teenage. Wendy was rebellious and playful yet forced into the latest dress trends and manners that a lady of the twentieth century should follow since she was now, after all, a young woman.

Wendy didn't feel like she was a grown-up though, not in the slightest, especially not when her father, George Darling, would shout at her to 'act her age' and her mother would look down at her as if she were disappointed. The smile left Wendy's face; her parents were probably going to lock away if they saw her in a state like this. Especially today since it was so important to her and her family. It's not that she wanted and tried to embarrass her father, it just seemed to happen. Wendy wanted adventure in her life again and freedom but she was to become a kept woman as she was to say yes to Patrick Foster whether she liked it or not. It wasn't easy to picture her life with this strange man who worked as an accountant at the same bank her father's job was.

Wendy had always thought of romance and marriage so differently than what was happening now. She rounded a corner on the cobbled street, her heel splashing into a puddle and muddy drops wetted her cotton socks. A lone car drove by with a man wearing a top hat safely inside. Looking up to the sky, Wendy could see the many chimneys giving off black puffs of smoke into the bleak, cloudy above. Homesickness seemed to hit her but not for the brick building down the next few streets, for a place she didn't like to think of often now. Never Land.

She wondered what Peter Pan was doing right now. He had never visited her and so she only had the memories to keep her going when she was down, sometimes she couldn't tell whether any of it had been real. But she still had an acorn tied around her neck with a piece of string; in the centre was an indent from the arrow head. The kiss from Peter that had saved her life, even though the thimble she'd given him would never have the same type of power. John didn't talk about it anymore, he had changed and was more and more like her father with each passing day but Michael still spoke of pirates, mermaids, fairy dust and Captain Hook, he didn't pretend it wasn't real.

Raindrops caught on to her eyelashes as she saw them fall from the sky, she came to look back where she was walking when she bumped into someone who made a grunt and stepped back then very kindly steadied Wendy who was about to tip over from the curb.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Wendy smiled largely with the apology to show she was sincere, when she looked up at the man in question, the smile from her face was once again lost.

"It's alright Miss," he nodded. That voice, that face that remained passive was so familiar. It couldn't be though, she had watched him die in Never Land, he'd been eaten up by that overgrown crocodile. 'Old, alone, done for.' Everything was the same about him, now he was smirking knowing she was starting to realise, he wasn't wearing his pirate outfit only something very normal. Too normal for Captain James Hook. A plain short a waistcoat, his tie neatly pushed to his collar and blazer falling smartly across his shoulders, trousers and shoes matched the black colour of his outfit. His long, curly hair was tied back but his eyes were the same blue and his moustache still had the same flick at the ends.

"Captain Hook," she squeaked, stumbling back, her dress dropped from her hands and she felt it drag across the floor until she stepped on it with her heel and nearly fell again.

"I beg your pardon?" he stepped towards, his expression seemed to be confused by her words but Wendy shook her head at the lie, she knew it was a lie. "You shouldn't talk to strangers, bad form," Hook laughed then slyly stepped around her, getting close so she'd gasp and press up against the wall. Wendy watched in shock as he walked away from her, never turning but waving at her.

"Goodbye Wendy, I miss Red-handed Jill."

"Bye," she whispered to his back then running away from that road, looking back to see if he had really been there but wherever he had gone, he had gone there fast. Wendy focused on getting home, her heart racing, not even caring to clear herself up when she pulled the cord to ring to doorbell. Mister Darling answered and he looked thunderous especially when he looked her up and down and Wendy remembered that her dress was filthy and ruined with water, her hair was in tatters and she'd taken off her gloves earlier so her fingernails had muck underneath them.

"Look at the state of you," he hissed, gripping her shoulder and pushing her in the house, looking around to make sure no one had seen. "What have you been doing? I'm tired of this disgraceful behaviour Wendy! When are you going learn to act like an adult? You're already ten minutes late. I suggest you get ready, quickly while I call your mother to help," he gave her a hard look and shook his head angrily before turning away and storming down the hall. Wendy tipped her head down and went up the stairs to dry off, clean up and change. She could hear a male's voice from here that wasn't part of the family's. Her future husband. She was dreading this.

_**AToT**_

**_Thanks to my Beta's - April and Jenna for helping me with this. Hope you feel better soon J._**

**_And thanks for reading. _**


	2. Ships Sailing Through Clouds

_Chapter 2  
Ships Sailing Through Clouds_

_**AToT**_

Patrick had been agreeable, wealthy and polite with many prospects for his future. Apparently, these were the only attributes Wendy needed for a husband and comfy home life, all she had to look forward in life now was an artificial wedding that cost a penny too much and the routinely career that consisted of mothering a house full of children. No adventure for Wendy Darling anymore, no Peter Pan and pirate ships, that was all over. One of those memories that could have been mistaken for a dream within a dream she had a long time ago.

"Oh dear me," she breathed to herself despairingly. She had been so worried about meeting wondrous Mister Foster that she'd conjured up bumping into Captain Hook. It had seemed so real though, he had looked as he always had; no added wrinkles or scars. She'd always found James Hook quite the enigma, his obsessive quest to rid of Peter Pan had proved fruitless countless times but he never gave in, he was stubborn and determined. Wendy had perceived him as strangely endearing, that rugged appearance and diabolical grin, it promised misdeed and mischief, like there was a child locked up inside of him somewhere, wanting desperately to play freely once again. Wasn't that always the case with citizens from the Neverland?

"Oh Peter, what are you doing now?" Wendy muttered to herself as she got ready for bed. _I wonder if he ever misses me... _She had her own room now. It was rather plain, not like when she housed with her brothers, toys and costumes always scattered about everywhere and Wendy was constantly discovering various feathers and jewels in duvet covers where they'd fallen off dresses and breeches. Everything in this room was delicately floral and perfectly feminine, neat and unassuming. Exactly right for a young lady like herself. Sometimes Wendy did wish she could be the mannerly daughter her father wished her to be, just to make him proud, she would stop daydreaming and concentrate on the smaller, more important things in life like family and church.

Wendy would always be wild and strive to free but she still wanted to love. She wanted to _choose _who she loved but she'd been instructed she would learn to love Patrick and his somewhat smarmy attitude. He wasn't a bad man; he just wasn't a brave man, no sense of fun only coolness. He wasn't Captain Hook or Peter Pan... but Peter was too young for her now, wasn't he? Peter who never grew up whereasshe had. Peter who was stuck in an eternal time-catch, unaging and unknowing and the clock was slowly ticking away for Wendy, aging her, entrapping her. Time was such a tricky, fickle thing, honestly she didn't want anything to do with it.

Wendy let her wavy hair unravel from the chignon; it was longer now reaching the small of her back. She didn't want to cut it; it was a small innocence to have, not like the bobbed haircut of flirtatious ladies or the pampered curls of older women. Bored, Wendy planted her bare feet onto the fur throw on the floor, her toes curling in the downy material and she glided over to the balcony window on the west side of her bedroom, her ivory nightgown dragging across the ground. With all the eloquence her mother had instilled within, Wendy lowered herself on to the cushioned window seat and gazed longingly outside.

The glass was cool against her fingertips, her lukewarm breath condensing into clouds of mist against the clear surface, smiling to herself she outlined a love heart in the vapour but it quickly vanished. The sky was still leaden outside, the colour of blue-black and soft, large-scale gatherings of clouds; grey and lumpy as they were suspended in the air. It had been such a dismal day; she couldn't see a single glitter of a star, however, in the distance was the mocking smile of the moon. It said: _I'm free out here, and you're imprisoned inside. _

"Wendy, time to get your head down," her mother said melodically, vibrant, amber light enshrouding her from her position in the doorway.

"Yes," Wendy sighed, resting her forehead against the window and not really looking at anything.

"I brought you a cup of hot chocolate; it'll help you get to sleep. The nights are getting cold," her mother intoned, bringing her knitted shawl closer to her body as if to ward off a shiver. Wendy didn't feel that cold really just ever so slightly empty.

"Yes, of course, thank you."

"Goodnight." Wendy regarded her mother as she moved out of the room. That was how Wendy was supposed to be, modest and graceful, softly-spoken and endlessly kind. Yet, there was something so withdrawn about her mother, her politeness perhaps a little false, her smiles perhaps a little melancholy, she was a beautiful caged bird and no one could hear her song, the time had gone for her to spread her wings and show her true colours. Wendy didn't want to be like that, ever, at all.

The mug of hot cocoa smelled fairly inviting, sweet wisps of steam rising from the porcelain. Wendy was about to get into bed when something caught her eye, outside there was a movement in the clouds, the gradual parting of white-grey woolliness, breaking apart as if being sliced by a pirate's sword. Wendy gasped when she saw the impossible enormity of a ship, floating in the sky with the occasional twinkle of fairy magic swirling around it. The skull and cross-bone flag fluttering, she couldn't see if anyone was aboard the boat because it was hazy and silhouetted but she could guess who.

He had been real, he was here. Wendy hurriedly opened the wind, a frigid draught cutting against the rosy skin of her cheeks. Why was he here?

For her?

She smiled gleefully at the sight, the magical spectacle of the pirate ship sailing across the skies of London, it was enchanting and most of all it was true – it hadn't all been a far-off dream to help soothe her boredom, Peter Pan and Captain Hook wasn't just a part of her imagination and Wendy knew in that moment she wanted to go back to Neverland.

Out of nowhere, a note drifted in through her open window. Curling at the edges and yellowed with what appeared to be age, it had the scent of fresh ink and something else... something individual to one person she'd met before.

_Are you ready for another adventure Wendy?  
Captain James Hook_

"Definitely," Wendy accepted whimsically unaware of the consequences in her confirmation.

**_AToT_**

**_Sorry this update has taken months, I can't promise I won't do it again though. Enjoy. Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites!_**

**_ST_**


	3. A Second of Stilled Time

_Chapter 3  
A Second of Stilled Time_

_**AToT**_

An admission was whispered into the air, a fanciful _"definitely" _rustled in the sails of Captain Hook's ship. Smee's head upturned sharply, acknowledging the sound then searching out his Captain who stood atop of the grand stairs leading to the Captain's cabin. His head was downturned, a large portion of his face hidden beneath the red hat embroidered with gold thread and dark ringlets of hair. There was a visible grin on his lips however.

"Any orders for a change o'route, Capt'n?" The grin widened confirmatively before he turned away and strode to the starboard side of the ship. Having a vessel that was fuelled by fairy dust and flowed through clouds instead of water wasn't the same having the salty, sea breeze against his skin and listening to the bow parting waves of water.

It was magical though. The dusky time of day meant the skies were tinted purple and the altitude they were at made birds envious. After Hook and his crew had ambushed Peter Pan and the Lost Boys to get back the Jolly Roger, they had been victorious of course but Pan hadn't put up much of a fight – flying back onto the mainland and the Lost Boys following after.

It was common knowledge that the weather in Neverland was dictated by Pan's moods. Ever since the day he'd returned Wendy Darling to her home, a touch of cold had remained despite the everlasting sunshine. Hook could hide his having been jealous Pan had found someone to love but Peter couldn't hide that touch of unhappiness within him from anyone. _Poor Peter Pan. _This was when Hook realised Wendy was important, to Pan, to him and the ongoing fight between them. At first he'd seen her as a pawn he could manipulate Pan's emotions with so he could defeat the boy after all this time but then he'd seen her in the street that day having blossomed into a woman. Wendy was no longer a girl that could love Peter Pan.

She could, perhaps, be his Wendy. Never before had he wanted to love another in that way but it felt like another adventure. Yes, he was the villain, against Pan and his purity but every villain needed a partner in crime.

The pirate gazed down at his hook, propped against the wooden railing on the edge of the boat, his features pensive. Wendy sought for thrill; she was different from girls her age, unorthodox and too curious for her own good. She had found adventure through Neverland and Peter Pan but also through him, playing the pirate and standing by his side as Red-Handed Jill.

Maybe Wendy was the key to triumphing over Peter as well as the key to his happiness.

No, it wouldn't surprise Hook if Wendy could unlock every secret.

_**AToT**_

Wendy waited; the clock had chimed midnight by the time she had given up. Her imagination again, silly her, it was running wild. But... for a moment there it had seemed real, Hook, the ship, the note. Then again all too convenient now she was being rushed into an unwanted marriage and desired to run back to Neverland, the only place that had seemed like home.

She didn't move away from the windowsill, even if the Jolly Roger had left the skies and her wishes hadn't come true, the air was peaceful tonight and her bed looked oddly far away. She was chilled to the bone and a little upset but a tiny amount of hope kept her tied down.

_What are the chances?_

It was unlikely Captain Hook was trying to get into contact with her, she had been an ally of Peter – more than that actually – it made sense that he would despise her at least. Wendy had caused havoc on her visit in Neverland and Hook hadn't appreciated it. Nevertheless, he was an interesting character, something about him made her animated. Though she never had been able to tell if he was being genuine or not, somehow, Hook had come across as being a little tired, or lost or maybe even deeply envious of Peter.

Putting herself in his shoes, he had been wronged by Peter and it was probably impossible to be chirpy in his situation.

It was shameful of her but she could never decide which memory she treasured more; her kiss with Peter or Hook accepting her as a pirate aboard his ship.

Wendy was startled out of her thoughts when a rope-ladder swung down on to her balcony, her eyes widened dramatically and her heart fluttered in her chest.

_Could it be...? _

Cautiously walking on to the balcony, the cold making her tremble, she gazed up incredulously at the ship glistening high above her. A familiar scarlet-red coat caught her eye and then she saw Captain Hook pressed against the edge obviously waiting to hoist her up.

"That's far too dangerous," she murmured to herself, overwhelmed by the turn of events so her voice sounded breathless.

As if he could hear her, Hook said, "Now, now, Wendy, where's your sense of adventure?" She heard him chuckle before he went on, "I won't let you fall, you have my word as pirate," Hook promised, seemingly sincere but a pirate's word was really quite transient. Even so, she grabbed the thick rope of the ladder and inelegantly clambered on, her bare feet curling around the unsafe steps and with that she was raised into the air unable to stop the smile that grace her lips.

_**AToT**_

_**Again, thank you for all the feedback, it is much appreciated! **_

_**Also, I didn't have the time to check for mistakes so sorry about those. :/**_


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